Korea Water Resources Corporation and Busan Urban Corporation Form Team of Six Including Academia, Industry, Research Institutes, and Tree Doctors
Soil Test Results Lead to Additional Use of Soil Conditioners and Organic Fertilizers for Healthy Growth Environment
Busan City has formed a 'Landscape Expert Advisory Group' together with joint project implementers to improve the quality of park green spaces and the tree growth environment being developed as part of the 'Busan Eco Delta City Waterfront Zone Development Project', and held its first meeting at the Busan Eco Delta City site on the 13th.
The city, along with joint project implementers K-water (Korea Water Resources Corporation) and Busan Metropolitan Corporation (BMC), established the 'Landscape Expert Advisory Group' to discuss technical advice and various measures for improving the tree growth environment in Busan Eco Delta City, aiming to make Busan a 'global hub city' and an eco-friendly residential city with ecological wetland parks.
The advisory group consists of six experts from academia, industry, research institutions, and tree doctors.
The 'Busan Eco Delta City Waterfront Zone Development Project' is a project to create a residential complex accommodating 30,000 households (population of 76,000) and develop urban high-tech and international logistics complexes over a development area of 11.8 km² in Myeongji-dong, Gangdong-dong, and Daejeo 2-dong in Gangseo-gu.
Within the waterfront zone, there are 40 parks (2,398,304 m²) and 66 green spaces (673,322 m²).
Currently, construction in the first-phase area around Myeongji-dong has been partially completed, and administrative procedures such as joint inspections for partial completion are underway.
The city has formed a joint advisory group composed of members from academia, industry, research institutions, and tree doctors to create premium parks and green spaces within Busan Eco Delta City, including the first-phase area, and discussed measures to improve the tree growth environment at the meeting on the 13th.
The advisory group first reviewed the results of soil tests related to tree growth, which had been conducted jointly with K-water and BMC by a specialized institution over about two months since April.
The main findings were: ▲ Tree vitality rated as 'good' ▲ Soil hardness and soil water salinity at 'appropriate' levels ▲ Soil contamination at 'appropriate' levels ▲ Physical properties of planting base deemed 'appropriate', while chemical properties showed a 'need for improvement' in certain items (pH, organic matter content, total nitrogen, available phosphate, etc.).
Physical properties affect root growth and drainage for plants, while chemical properties influence plant growth by affecting the absorption of necessary nutrients.
The group also noted that although high-quality soil should have been brought in as the planting base for landscaping trees, some soil not fully meeting regulations was used. Even if the relevant items were improved according to Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport design standards during landscaping construction, it was found that ongoing maintenance efforts were lacking, and they called for strengthened maintenance management.
They recommended additional application of soil conditioners and organic fertilizers to improve pH and increase organic matter content for a healthier growth environment, as well as the use of replacement trees for dead trees, improved drainage management, and pest and disease prevention to help trees adapt quickly to the urban environment.
An Cheolsoo, Director of the Green City Bureau, stated, "Through this on-site landscape expert consultation in the Busan Eco Delta City waterfront zone, we have taken the first step toward creating premium parks within Busan Eco Delta City," and added, "We ask for continued interest from citizens so that the project can proceed both efficiently and with substance."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
